What's happening in HISD

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Last April, HISD’s Board of Education voted to accept $8.5 million in grants to support the district’s college readiness programs. One of the initiatives those funds made possible was the creation of a 28-person corps of college success advisors, whose ambitious goal is to boost college application, attendance, and completion rates among HISD graduates.

After just one semester of having the corps in place, HISD is already seeing a significant increase in the number of students applying to college — and that has caught the attention of local news media.

The corps’ success is the subject of a Jan. 22 article on Houston Public Media’s website, in which reporter Laura Isensee notes the district’s college application rate has jumped the most among Hispanic students.

“The program so far is making a pretty significant difference,” said Ruth Lopez Turley, a Rice University professor quoted in the article.

Reviewing officer and keynote speaker Marquis Alexander was on hand when HISD’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program honored its top six cadets from the Class of 2012 on April 21. Alexander, who was recently selected as the commander for the 2012-2013 Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets, and his fellow cadets from Texas A&M University served as the selection board for this year’s HISD JROTC competition.

Cadet Colonel Ron-Joseph Lastimosa is ranked in the top three percent of his graduating class with a grade point average of 4.67. The International Baccalaureate diploma candidate is a member of the National Honor Society, French Club, Spanish Club, and Student Council. He is also active in the Boy Scouts of America.

Cadet Colonel Lastimosa placed first out of 25 competitors all four years in the Outstanding Cadet Qualification Board competitions. He has been awarded the Superior Cadet medal four times and he is a two-time recipient of both the George C. Marshall Award for Academic Achievement and Leadership and the Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. He has been a member of the Junior Leadership and Academic Bowl team that competed at the national finals inWashingtonD.C.twice. At the 2011 competition, Cadet Lastimosa’s team placed fifth in the nation out of 1,710 schools.

Cadet Colonel Lastimosa serves as captain of the Lamar Marksmanship Team. He is also a member of the Lamar Organizational Color Guard and his church’s youth group. He has held a part time job at the Chocolate Bar since his sophomore year.

Cadet Lastimosa plans to major in investment management at theUniversityofTexasinAustin, from which he has already received a Business Honors Scholarship.

First Brigade Commander (#2 Graduate)Cadet Colonel Veronica ZaragozaWaltrip High School

Cadet Colonel Veronica Zaragoza has been an active Cadet in the JROTC program for four years. Cadet Zaragoza, with a GPA of 3.83, is ranked number 31 out of 375 students in her graduating class. Cadet Zaragoza has served as president of the National Honor Society and commander of the Waltrip JROTC Varsity Female Physical Training Team. She volunteers at the K2 Academy of Kids Sports, a facility for special needs children. Cadet Zaragoza plans to attendUniversityofTexasatAustinand major in social work.

Second Brigade Commander (#3 Graduate)Cadet Colonel Nallely PrudencioHigh School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

Cadet Colonel Nallely Prudencio is ranked fourth out of 123 graduating seniors with a grade point average of 4.00. She serves as president of the Business Professionals of America and the Student Council. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, the National Latino Peace Officers Association, the JROTC Academic Team, the Battalion Unarmed Drill Team, and the Houston Leadership for Tomorrow (a service organization). Cadet Colonel Prudencio has been awarded the Superior Cadet Medal for the last two years, and has placed in the Military Qualification Board competition two years straight. She plans to attendGeorgetownUniversity, where she will pursue a degree in computer security.

Third Brigade Commander (#4 Graduate)Cadet Colonel Thesly ImbodenReagan High School

Cadet Colonel Thesly Imboden scored one of the highest SAT scores ever earned by a student from her campus. She is currently ranked 19th of 456 seniors in her graduating class and she holds a GPA of 4.09. Cadet Colonel Imboden plans to attend theUniversityofTexasto pursue a degree in communications. She serves as chief editor of the school newspaper, and she is a member of the National Honor Society, the Reagan High School Leadership Council. She is also active in the Peer Assistance and Leadership (PALS) program, which performs community service projects.

Cadet Colonel Cristian Buitrago has a grade point average of 4.17. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Operation Military Children, and the Army Reserve Team Panel. He also serves as captain of the JROTC Physical Fitness Team, a counselor for Speak Out for Military Kids, and a representative of the US Army 75th Reserve Division’s Family Readiness Group at Ellington Field. After graduation, Cadet Colonel Buitrago will attend theUnited StatesMilitaryAcademyatWest Point.

Cadet Colonel Merline Gonzalez has a GPA of 4.1 and is her class valedictorian. She serves as president of the National Honor Society, and she is a member of the Environmental Club, the Student Council, the varsity soccer team, the Lady Spartans Unarmed drill team, and the Spartans Physical Fitness Team. She is also active as a peer tutor and a ninth grade mentor. Cadet Colonel Gonzalez has been awarded the Superior Cadet medal three times. Following graduation, she plans to attend theUniversityofHouston, where she will major in communications.